My NFFC Results: Turning the Wheel

Jeff Erickson is a co-founder of RotoWire.com and the only two-time winner of Baseball Writer of the Year from the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. He roots for the Reds, Bengals, Red Wings, Pacers and Northwestern University (the real NU).

On Wednesday I drafted my RotoWire Fantasy Football Online Championship team, as part of the big $100,000 contest partnered with the NFFC. Drafting from the wheel in the 12th spot, I knew I wasn't going to get one of the elite running backs going in, so the question was how to adjust accordingly? Do you dip down and take a running back from the next tier to avoid getting squeezed out? Do you take the one first-tier tight end in Jimmy Graham? Or do you go with what I ultimately decided and take two of the top-tier wideouts? This draft and all other NFFC drafts are third-round reversal - meaning that I would have the top pick in the third round, which drove a lot of my strategy. The full results of the draft are below, followed by a breakdown of my picks. Teams 1-6 are on top, followed by teams 7-12.

Rd

IT HAD TO BE MOO

Have Guts Will Play

Dynasty

16 Weeks of Pain VI BWAZ

Waverly Vikings

Highlander

1

Adrian
Peterson
Min (RB)

Doug
Martin
TB (RB)

Arian
Foster
Hou (RB)

Calvin
Johnson
Det (WR)

Jamaal
Charles
KC (RB)

Ray
Rice
Bal (RB)

2

Andre
Johnson
Hou (WR)

Chris
Johnson
Ten (RB)

Maurice
Jones-Drew
Jac (RB)

Drew
Brees
NO (QB)

Reggie
Bush
Det (RB)

Steven
Jackson
Atl (RB)

3

Victor
Cruz
NYG (WR)

Dwayne
Bowe
KC (WR)

Frank
Gore
SF (RB)

Roddy
White
Atl (WR)

Randall
Cobb
GB (WR)

Aaron
Rodgers
GB (QB)

4

Danny
Amendola
NE (WR)

Marques
Colston
NO (WR)

Vincent
Jackson
TB (WR)

David
Wilson
NYG (RB)

Wes
Welker
Den (WR)

Reggie
Wayne
Ind (WR)

5

Chris
Ivory
NYJ (RB)

Cecil
Shorts
Jac (WR)

Matt
Ryan
Atl (QB)

Antonio
Brown
Pit (WR)

Jason
Witten
Dal (TE)

Ahmad
Bradshaw
Ind (RB)

6

Eddie
Lacy
GB (RB)

Giovani
Bernard
Cin (RB)

Mike
Wallace
Mia (WR)

James
Jones
GB (WR)

Miles
Austin
Dal (WR)

Steve
Smith
Car (WR)

7

Andrew
Luck
Ind (QB)

Josh
Gordon
Cle (WR)

Lance
Moore
NO (WR)

DeAngelo
Williams
Car (RB)

Colin
Kaepernick
SF (QB)

Tony
Gonzalez
Atl (TE)

8

Danny
Woodhead
SD (RB)

Matthew
Stafford
Det (QB)

Ben
Tate
Hou (RB)

Mark
Ingram
NO (RB)

BenJarvus
Green-Ellis
Cin (RB)

Michael
Floyd
Ari (WR)

9

DeAndre
Hopkins
Hou (WR)

Greg
Olsen
Car (TE)

Emmanuel
Sanders
Pit (WR)

Bryce
Brown
Phi (RB)

Ronnie
Hillman
Den (RB)

Vick
Ballard
Ind (RB)

10

Martellus
Bennett
Chi (TE)

Rueben
Randle
NYG (WR)

Brandon
Myers
NYG (TE)

Pierre
Thomas
NO (RB)

Kendall
Wright
Ten (WR)

Alshon
Jeffery
Chi (WR)

11

Carson
Palmer
Ari (QB)

Johnathan
Franklin
GB (RB)

Julian
Edelman
NE (WR)

Kyle
Rudolph
Min (TE)

Aaron
Dobson
NE (WR)

Sidney
Rice
Sea (WR)

12

Kenbrell
Thompkins
NE (WR)

Fred
Jackson
Buf (RB)

Knowshon
Moreno
Den (RB)

Rod
Streater
Oak (WR)

Seattle
DST
Sea (DST)

Jacquizz
Rodgers
Atl (RB)

13

Cincinnati
DST
Cin (DST)

Kendall
Hunter
SF (RB)

Justin
Forsett
Jac (RB)

Houston
DST
Hou (DST)

Dexter
McCluster
KC (WR)

Andy
Dalton
Cin (QB)

14

Cordarrelle
Patterson
Min (WR)

Tyler
Eifert
Cin (TE)

Shonn
Greene
Ten (RB)

Brandon
Pettigrew
Det (TE)

Josh
Freeman
TB (QB)

Coby
Fleener
Ind (TE)

15

Jacoby
Jones
Bal (WR)

Chicago
DST
Chi (DST)

Jermaine
Gresham
Cin (TE)

Joique
Bell
Det (RB)

Malcom
Floyd
SD (WR)

Zac
Stacy
StL (RB)

16

Green Bay
DST
GB (DST)

Joshua
Morgan
Was (WR)

Philip
Rivers
SD (QB)

Robert
Woods
Buf (WR)

Rob
Housler
Ari (TE)

Kenny
Stills
NO (WR)

17

Stephen
Gostkowski
NE (K)

Lance
Dunbar
Dal (RB)

Tampa Bay
DST
TB (DST)

Ryan
Tannehill
Mia (QB)

Marcel
Reece
Oak (RB)

New York (N)
DST
NYG (DST)

18

Zach
Ertz
Phi (TE)

Joe
Flacco
Bal (QB)

Matt
Bryant
Atl (K)

Phil
Dawson
SF (K)

Domenik
Hixon
Car (WR)

Matt
Prater
Den (K)

19

Geno
Smith
NYJ (QB)

Alex
Henery
Phi (K)

Danario
Alexander
SD (WR)

New Orleans
DST
NO (DST)

Dallas
DST
Dal (DST)

Jeremy
Kerley
NYJ (WR)

20

Mike
Goodson
NYJ (RB)

Donnie
Avery
KC (WR)

Willis
McGahee
Den (RB)

LaRod
Stephens-Howling
Pit (RB)

Sebastian
Janikowski
Oak (K)

Justin
Tucker
Bal (K)

Team Marcus

Here'sMyNumber CallMeBrady

Glenneration X

Three Dogs

ChiTownFEW

Team Erickson

Rd

C.J.
Spiller
Buf (RB)

Trent
Richardson
Cle (RB)

LeSean
McCoy
Phi (RB)

Matt
Forte
Chi (RB)

A.J.
Green
Cin (WR)

Dez
Bryant
Dal (WR)

1

Alfred
Morris
Was (RB)

Jimmy
Graham
NO (TE)

Demaryius
Thomas
Den (WR)

Marshawn
Lynch
Sea (RB)

Julio
Jones
Atl (WR)

Brandon
Marshall
Chi (WR)

2

DeMarco
Murray
Dal (RB)

Darren
Sproles
NO (RB)

Lamar
Miller
Mia (RB)

Larry
Fitzgerald
Ari (WR)

Stevan
Ridley
NE (RB)

Darren
McFadden
Oak (RB)

3

Rob
Gronkowski
NE (TE)

Jordy
Nelson
GB (WR)

Peyton
Manning
Den (QB)

Pierre
Garcon
Was (WR)

Hakeem
Nicks
NYG (WR)

Le'Veon
Bell
Pit (RB)

4

Torrey
Smith
Bal (WR)

Tom
Brady
NE (QB)

Shane
Vereen
NE (RB)

Eric
Decker
Den (WR)

DeSean
Jackson
Phi (WR)

Cam
Newton
Car (QB)

5

Ryan
Mathews
SD (RB)

Stevie
Johnson
Buf (WR)

Greg
Jennings
Min (WR)

Vernon
Davis
SF (TE)

Daryl
Richardson
StL (RB)

Montee
Ball
Den (RB)

6

T.Y.
Hilton
Ind (WR)

Robert
Griffin III
Was (QB)

Tavon
Austin
StL (WR)

Rashard
Mendenhall
Ari (RB)

Tony
Romo
Dal (QB)

Anquan
Boldin
SF (WR)

7

Kenny
Britt
Ten (WR)

Justin
Blackmon
Jac (WR)

Mike
Williams
TB (WR)

Eli
Manning
NYG (QB)

Andre
Brown
NYG (RB)

Vincent
Brown
SD (WR)

8

Russell
Wilson
Sea (QB)

Golden
Tate
Sea (WR)

Jared
Cook
StL (TE)

Chris
Givens
StL (WR)

Bernard
Pierce
Bal (RB)

LaMichael
James
SF (RB)

9

Jermichael
Finley
GB (TE)

Antonio
Gates
SD (TE)

Denarius
Moore
Oak (WR)

Greg
Little
Cle (WR)

Michael
Vick
Phi (QB)

Darrius
Heyward-Bey
Ind (WR)

10

Brian
Hartline
Mia (WR)

Percy
Harvin
Sea (WR)

Jonathan
Stewart
Car (RB)

Ben
Roethlisberger
Pit (QB)

Jordan
Cameron
Cle (TE)

Owen
Daniels
Hou (TE)

11

Jay
Cutler
Chi (QB)

Mikel
Leshoure
Det (RB)

Ryan
Broyles
Det (WR)

Michael
Bush
Chi (RB)

Isaiah
Pead
StL (RB)

Bilal
Powell
NYJ (RB)

12

Knile
Davis
KC (RB)

Daniel
Thomas
Mia (RB)

San Francisco
DST
SF (DST)

Denver
DST
Den (DST)

Brandon
LaFell
Car (WR)

Stepfan
Taylor
Ari (RB)

13

Sam
Bradford
StL (QB)

Joseph
Randle
Dal (RB)

Roy
Helu
Was (RB)

Christine
Michael
Sea (RB)

Andre
Roberts
Ari (WR)

Mohamed
Sanu
Cin (WR)

14

Stephen
Hill
NYJ (WR)

DuJuan
Harris
GB (RB)

Dustin
Keller
Mia (TE)

Robert
Turbin
Sea (RB)

Fred
Davis
Was (TE)

Alex
Smith
KC (QB)

15

New England
DST
NE (DST)

Jon
Baldwin
KC (WR)

Markus
Wheaton
Pit (WR)

Nate
Burleson
Det (WR)

St. Louis
DST
StL (DST)

Nick
Toon
NO (WR)

16

Arizona
DST
Ari (DST)

Atlanta
DST
Atl (DST)

Blair
Walsh
Min (K)

San Diego
DST
SD (DST)

Matt
Schaub
Hou (QB)

Cleveland
DST
Cle (DST)

17

Santonio
Holmes
NYJ (WR)

Greg
Zuerlein
StL (K)

EJ
Manuel
Buf (QB)

Dan
Bailey
Dal (K)

David
Akers
Det (K)

Marcedes
Lewis
Jac (TE)

18

Riley
Cooper
Phi (WR)

Toby
Gerhart
Min (RB)

Dion
Lewis
Cle (RB)

Damaris
Johnson
Phi (WR)

Chris
Polk
Phi (RB)

Pittsburgh
DST
Pit (DST)

19

Randy
Bullock
Hou (K)

Baltimore
DST
Bal (DST)

Latavius
Murray
Oak (RB)

Heath
Miller
Pit (TE)

Nick
Foles
Phi (QB)

Garrett
Hartley
NO

20

1.12 and 2.1 - Picking 12th (of 12), I went with Dez Bryant and Brandon Marshall with my first two picks, and passed up Marshawn Lynch and Jimmy Graham. This draft is 3RR, so my next pick is 25th. This is one of the reasons I went back-to-back WR's - there should be a reasonable running back returning that's not much worse than Lynch. If my next pick were 36th rather than 25th, it would have been a lot more difficult to pass on Lynch.

3.1 (25 overall) Darren McFadden - My pipe dream of Chris Johnson getting to me came two picks short. I don't like that he lost his LT. But I love how many passes he's going to catch, especially if Flynn isn't going to throw deep. Chose him over Darren Sproles, Lamar Miller and Demarco Murray.

5.1 (49) Cam Newton - Toughest pick of the draft for me. Usually I wait, wait, and wait on QBs, & still almost did. If only 2-3 QBs go, mistake. But I didn't trust what was going to come back to me in 22 picks. And I view Newton as a 3rd round talent, though this format dilutes him. The post-script: just Brady and Ryan went in the interim, so arguably taking Newton here was a mistake, unless, of course, Newton is going to be as special as I think he's capable of being.

14.12 Mohamed Sanu - Plenty of buzz about Eifert this camp, and it's probably deserved, but really like Sanu's work b4 he got hurt last yr.

15.1 Alex Smith - My favorite QB2 this year. I think it'll work out well with he and Andy Reid.

16.12 Nick Toon - Don't love that Stills got work with the first team, but I wrote at the time that I think Toon is the better player. The latest indicates that this might be in error - that Stills might get the job.

17.1 CLE defense - A lot of slugfests in the AFC North. Wish that the Bengals were still there, but long gone.